NHL notes: Pronger needs knee surgery

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger blocks the view of Calgary Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff during the overtime period of their NHL hockey game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 26, 2010. (REUTERS/Tim Shaffer)

QMI Agency

Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Chris Pronger will undergo surgery Tuesday on his left knee and be sidelined for a month.

The procedure will clean out loose particles that have caused problems for Pronger of late, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said Monday.

Pronger, 37, has been beset by health issues the past two seasons.

He missed the past four games because of a virus, and sat out six games after being struck near the right eye by a stick Oct. 24. He has one goal and 11 assists in 13 games this season.

Pronger played just 50 regular-season games and three playoff games in 2010-11 because of knee, foot, hand and back injuries.

CROSBY FIRST STAR

Sidney Crosby was selected the NHL's first star of the week Monday.

Crosby had two goals, seven assists and a league-high plus-7 rating in four games, as he returned from a 10-month absence recovering from a concussion.

Goalie Cory Schneider was the second star after winning three starts with the Vancouver Canucks and posting a 0.67 goals-against average.

St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott was the third star. He had three wins and a 0.98 GAA.

ALMOST MILLER TIME

Injured Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller expects to be back on the ice Tuesday and participate fully in practice on Wednesday.

Miller skated briefly Monday before practice. He hasn't played since being run over by Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic Nov. 12, although he isn't convinced he was concussed on the play.

"Symptom wise I think it was more neck; something where I aggravated a disc in my neck pretty good," he said on the Sabres website. "I had an MRI and CAT scan that backed that up. That's a source of a lot of the tension and discomfort, and it definitely was limiting my range of motion."

Still no word on when Miller might play again, though.

BAD NEWS FOR STARS

Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen will miss at least three weeks with a groin injury.

Lehtonen, who is tied for the league lead in wins with 13, was hurt Saturday against Phoenix. He had an MRI done Sunday, which revealed some damage.

"Kari will be out at least three weeks," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "We got some good news on that front as far as the MRI. It's not a high groin pull or anything; it's kind of a low strain, low pull. Those tend to heal a little better, so we're looking at the three-week mark before he can get going again."

The injury means Lehtonen will miss at least eight games.

BRIEFLY

The Tampa Bay Lightning has re-signed forward Dana Tyrell, 22, to a two-year contract through 2013-14. Tyrell has appeared in two games for the Lightning this season, drawing one assist. He appeared in 78 games for Tampa Bay as a rookie last season ... Cory Schneider will get the start over Roberto Luongo when the Vancouver Canucks host the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday. It will be Schneider's sixth straight start ... With Scott Clemmensen close to returning to action, the Florida Panthers sent goalie Jacob Markstrom to San Antonio of the AHL. The Panthers also sent winger Michal Repik to the minors ... The Anaheim Ducks sent forward Brandon McMillan to Syracuse of the AHL. McMillan had three assists in 23 games with the Ducks ... Fabian Brunnstrom's up and down season continued Monday when the Detroit Red Wings called him up (again) from Grand Rapids of the AHL. The Wings sent Brunnstrom down the day before ... With Patrick Kaleta, Drew Stafford and Robyn Regehr probably good to go Tuesday against the New York Islanders, the Buffalo Sabres sent forwards Paul Szczechura and Corey Tropp and defenceman T.J. Brennan to Rochester of the AHL ... Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Penner, who has been out with a hand injury, has been cleared for contact. Penner has missed seven games due to the injury.